Ankle support device



Feb. 28, 1961 J. v. TANNER ANKLE SUPPORT DEVICE Filed sept. 17, 1959 JOHN V. TANNEI'R BY l {WJ/W ATTOR NEY HIS

United States Patent O This invention concerns ankle support devices attach able to or made integral with footwear such as ski boots,

Armed Forces boots, ice skating boots, etc., and, more particularly, to a new and improved ankle support device wherein desired foot movement about the. ankle bone axis `is permitted but where the lateral turning-in or turning-out of the ankle is prevented.

An object of the present invention is to devise an ankle support device for use in connection with the outside of the wearers foot, certainly, and also the inside of the foot, conceivably, so as to relieve foot strain and prevent possible broken ankles and y other deleterious elfects.

A further object of the present invention is to provide an ankle support device which may be worn either over the wearers existing boot or incorporated inthe design oa new and novel boot.

An additional object of the present invention 1s to pro'- vide a device of the type described wherein the 'pivot area of the device is contoured to relieve the ankle bone area of the boot and at the same time preserve the pivotal action of the device as relates to the lateral. axis passing through the ankle bone.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a device of the type described which is adjustable in length, and which may be removably secured to the heel of the wearers boot.

According to the present invention the device essentially takes the form of a brace medially pivotal about an axis passing through the ankle bone in a lateral direction. A frusto-conical, or other, inwardly concave pivotal connection is preferred over other types of VpivotV connections since a relief area may be offered thereby to the ankle bone area of the boot. The device includes a mounting tongue which is attachedY to an auxiliary ankle strap or to the ankle portion of a conventional boot. The lower part of the device includes an extensible strap releasably secured to a heel plate, the latter being attached to the wearers vboot at the undersurface of the heel. i

When the device is disposed on the outside of the wearers foot, then the foot will be pivotal about a lateral axis passing through the ankle bone but not about a longitudinal, ankle axis parallel to the foot.

The operation and advantages of the device readily will be seen when the device is used in connection with the ski boot, for example. It is well known that when a skier turns `either to the right or the left on the down-hill run his weight will always be placed on the ski which is on the outside and downhill side of the turn. Accordingly, the outside foot will tend to turn inwardly. By the present device this is counteracted, in fact, prevented since the device offers a permanent and restricted distance between the lower leg connection and the heel. Nonetheless, in being of the swivel type the device permits the skier to bend his knees and ankles in a forward direction without any interference by the ankle support.

The assembly of the device can be used on both sides of the foot so to lend support to the ankle and prevent Patented Feb.l 2,8, 1961 2 sprains. This would be particularly useful where the device is incorporated in boots worn by the Armed Forces, such as paratroopers.

The features of thepresentinvention which are believed t'o be novel are set forth with particularity in the appended claims. The present invention, both as to its organization and manner of operation, together with further objects and advantages thereof, may best be understood. by reference to the following description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure l is a fragmentary, side elevation of the device of the present invention when the same includes an ankle strap and is worn over a boot, for example.

Figure 2 is a vertical sectionv taken along the line Z-HZ in Figure l, illustrating the manner in which the device is attached to and worn over the wearers boot.

Figure 3 is a view taken along the line 3 3 in Figure l and illustrates the member (hereinafter referred to as a heel plate) which is attached to the heel of the boot or shoe of the'wearer.

Figure 4 is a fragmentary, partially sectioned, horizontal view taken along the line 4 4 in Figure 2.

Figure 5 is a side elevation of a boot, shown in reduced size, incorporating the device of the invention.

In Figures l and 2 the ankle support device of the in vention is illustrated, essentially taking the form of first and second, pivotally intercooperating members 1t) and 11 which cooperatively take the form of a swinging brace. First and second members 1t) and 11 are respectively provided with a mounting Itongue portion 13 and a strap portion 14. In addition to including mounting tongue portion13, iirst member ltl is provided with a frust'o'a conical ring portion 15 which is integral with the mount'-v ing tongueportion 13. Likewise, second rnemberll, in addition to. including strap portion 14, is provided with frusto-conical ring portion l16 which is integral with the forementioned strap portion. The two frusta-conical ring portions 15 and 16 are mutually, pivotally displaceable about common axis X and are slideably securedtogether as shown by the forward` edge of frusto-conical ring portion 16 being rolled outwardly and over frustoconical ring portion 15 at R. Strap portion 14 of second intercooperatingy member 11 is provided with a slotted aperture 2S. As shown, extension member 13 is pro-A vided, and includes an upturned linger 19 and a principal body 20 integral therewith. Principal body 20 of the ex tension 18 is provided with a series of mutually spaced, vertically aligned apertures 21. Heel plate 22, shown with partcularity in Figure 3, includes a plurality of mounting holes 23 for receiving at headffnounting screws 24 .(see Figure 2) and also a protuberance 25 having an aperture 26 in theA form of a`slot` for receiving.v the up'- turned iinger 19 of extension 1S. Shoulders 27 are included by extension 1S and are squared so as to abut the heel plate 22 in a firm, 90 relationship.

In turning to a consideration of strap portion 14, it will be seen with reference to Figure l that the same includes an inwardly turned tab 29 in addition to slotted aperture 28. Attachments in the form of a at head screw 30 and a nut 31 threaded thereon secure strap portion 14 to extension member 18 in the region of the slot aperture 21S and one (preferably the upper) of the apertures 21. As will be seen with reference to Figure 4, the inner, longitudinal area 17 of extension 18 may be indented inwardly. `This is for the purpose of providing suicient space to accommodate the inwardly turned tab 29 which should be of some sulicient minimum length. This indentation 17 prevents the tab from extending inwardly therefrom so as to cut into the leather of the wearers boot.

It will readily be seen with reference to Figures 1 and 2 that the device may be adjusted in length by the loosening of screw 30 and nut 31, by repositioning the inwardly turned tab 29 into a selected aperture 21, and by tightening attachments 30 and 31.

In the embodiment of the invention shown in Figure 1 and Figure 2 the mounting tongue portion 13 is secured within leather layers 32 and 33 of flexible ankle strap 39, of the flexible, ankle member 34, by means of rivets 35 and washers 36. The fiexible ankle member 34 is of course provided with the usual eyes 37, tongue 38, flexible ankle strap 39, and lacing cord 40 so that member 34 may be secured to the ankle of the wearer.

It is now to be noted that the frusto-conica1 character of the two ring portions 15 and 16 of the device offers a relief socket F and relief opening P, for the ankle bone of the wearer. Thus, the support device of the invention in no way interferes with foot comfort in this area. And yet, the invention provides a support device which ofers, together with rigid ankle support, opportunity for the foot and ankle to move; this is to say, pivotal movement about the lateral axis of the ankle bone is preserved. Conceivably, other types of pivotalY connections might reasonably be employed.

Figure 5 illustrates the device as being incorporated in an entire boot having upper B, sole B, and heel H. Again, the mounting tongue portion 13 is embedded between the two layers of leather normally found in boot construction and is then secured in place by rivets 35 and washers 36. For a most effective boot construction it is believed that the ankle portion 500 of boot upper B should be slit at 501 on opposite sides of the boot. This construction is in fact already employed in many types of present-day ski boot construction. In any event, strap portion 14 of second memberr 11 of the device will still be secured to the heel plate 22, the latter being screwed onto or otherwise secured to the undersurface of the boot heel.

While particular embodiments of the present invention have been shown and described, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that changes and modifications may be made without `departing from this invention in its broader aspects, and, therefore, the aim in the appended claims is to cover all such changes and modifications as fall within the true spirit and scope of this invention.

I claim:

1. An ankle support device including, in combination, a first member having a ring portion and a mounting tongue portion; a second member `having a ring portion and a strap portion, the two ring portions of said first and second members overlapping each other, thereby defining a common, ankle bone relief opening, and being slideably secured together for relative, rotational displacement about their common axis; means engaging said mounting tongue portion of said first member for securing said mounting tongue portion to the ankle portion of foot apparel; and means engaging said strap portion of said second member for securing said strap portion to the heel of foot apparel.

2. A device according to claim 1 wherein said ring portion of said first and second members are mutually concave inwardly, thereby providing an ankle bone relief socket in conjunction with said opening.

3. A device according to claim 1 wherein said means engaging said strap'portion comprises: an extension member having an upturned finger, means securing said extension member to said strap in one of a selectable number of extension length dispositions, and a heel plate securable to the heel of said foot apparel andvhaving an aperture, said finger of said extension member engaging said aperture.

4. A device according to claim 1 wherein said means engaging said strap portion comprises: an extension member, means securing said extension member to said strap portion in one of a selectable number of extension length dispositions, a heel plate securable to the heel of said foot apparel, and means securing said extension member to said heel plate.

5. An ankle support device including, in combination, a flexiblel member securable around the ankle of a wearer, a first member having a ring portion and a mounting tongue portion; means securing said mounting portion to said flexible member; a second member having a ring portion and a strap portion, the two ring portions of said first and second members overlapping each other, thereby defining a common, ankle bone relief opening, and being slideably secured together for relative, rotational displacement about their common axis; a heel plate affixed to the heel of wearing apparel Vof the wearer; and means securing said strap portion to said heel plate.

6. A boot including an upper, a sole, and a heel, said upper being provided-With a delineated ankle portion, and at least one ankle support device, said device comprising: a first member having a ring portion and a mounting tongue portion; means securing said mounting portion to said delineated ankle portion of said upper; a second member having a ring portion and a strap portion, the two ring portions of said first and second members overlapping each other, thereby defining a common, ankle bone relief opening, and being slideably secured together for relative, rotational displacement about their common axis; and means securing said heel plate to said strap, said ring portions of first and second members being disposed without said upper.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,549,382 Riddell Aug. 11, 1925 2,444,428 l Carrier July 6, 1948 FOREIGN PATENTS 57,687 Norway Mar. 1, 1937 

